iPad mini 2021 ‘Jelly Scroll’ Issue Is Normal LCD Screen Behaviour, Apple Says

iPad mini 2021 users report of an uneven scrolling issue when in portrait mode.

By Tasneem Akolawala | Updated: 29 September 2021 16:26 IST

iPad mini 2021 ‘Jelly Scroll’ Issue Is Normal LCD Screen Behaviour, Apple Says

iPad mini 2021 price in India begins at Rs. 46,900 for the Wi-Fi-only model

Highlights

Apple says that this issue is a common LCD display behaviour
Apple doesn’t intend to roll out a fix for this uneven scroll issue
iPad mini 2021 is powered by the latest A15 Bionic chip

iPad mini 2021 users have reported a slightly uneven scroll issue when using the device in portrait mode. This is said to be specifically apparent when scrolling on a screen with a lot of text. The term ‘jelly scroll' was also coined for this issue and Apple has officially responded on the matter. The company says that this is common behaviour on LCD displays and is not something that needs a fix. The new iPad mini offers an all-new design that has a larger display and lacks the home button.

Apple told Ars Technica that the ‘jelly scroll' issue on the iPad mini sixth-generation is "normal behaviour for LCD screens". It said that because LCD displays refresh line by line, there is a tiny delay between when the lines at the top of the screen and lines at the bottom are refreshed. Apple says that this is why uneven scrolling issues have been observed on the iPad mini 2021.

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This response means that Apple doesn't think that this problem needs a fix and users who are jarred by this slightly uneven scroll experience, should merely learn to live with it. The Verge's Dieter Bohn was one of the first who noticed this ‘jelly scroll' issue. He even made a slow-motion video to show that the issue is very subtle, but there. Bohn asserts, “In normal usage you barely see it, but every now and then it becomes noticeable.”

It is also reported that the ‘jelly scroll' problem goes away from the iPad mini 2021 when used in landscape mode, and is only noticeable when using in portrait mode. The iPad mini sixth generation was introduced alongside the iPad 9th generation at Apple's California streaming event mid-September. The new iPad mini price in India begins at Rs. 46,900 for the Wi-Fi only model, whereas the Wi-Fi+ Cellular model starts at Rs. 60,900. It features an 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display and is powered by the latest A15 Bionic chip. The new iPad mini comes with a 12-megapixel ultra-wide selfie camera and a 12-megapixel rear camera sensor that is paired with a True Tone flash. Besides, it comes bundled with a 20W USB Type-C adapter.

This week on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast, we discuss iPhone 13, new iPad and iPad mini, and Apple Watch Series 7 — and what they mean to the Indian market. Orbital is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.

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Apple iPad mini (2021) Wi-Fi

KEY SPECS
NEWS

Display 8.30-inch

Front Camera 12-megapixel

Resolution 2266x1488 pixels

OS iPadOS 15

Storage 64GB

Rear Camera 12-megapixel

More Apple Tablets

Apple iPad mini (2021) Wi-Fi + Cellular

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Design
Display
Software
Performance
Battery Life
Camera
Value for Money

Good
Light, ergonomic design
Great performance for gaming and entertainment
Bigger display is great for comics, magazines
Very polished iPadOS app ecosystem
Works great with Apple Pencil (2nd gen)

Bad
No 3.5mm audio socket
Top-end variants are expensive
Apple’s ecosystem is too restrictive for some

Read detailed Apple iPad mini (2021) Wi-Fi + Cellular review